In the past, cigarettes of various kinds were available for smoking. These included cigarettes that were full strength and that were either filtered or unfiltered. In addition, “light” cigarettes were also available and usually included filters that lowered levels of tar and nicotine.
It was also common for cigarettes to be partially smoked and these cigarettes were often discarded when the smoker needed to enter a non-smoking environment. Depending on the method of discarding, it was possible for a partially smoked cigarette to smolder, causing further second hand smoke. In some cases, a discarded cigarette could be responsible for a secondary fire.
Currently, cigarette smoking has become more restricted. However, many smokers continue to smoke cigarettes, and continue to discard partially smoked cigarettes. This often occurs when a smoker takes a “break” while being at work in a smoking permitted area or outdoors. Smoking has also been restricted in other public gathering situations, such as restaurants, convention meetings and airports. Once again, smokers wanting to smoke, will go to a permitted area or outside and often partially smoke a cigarette. Partially smoked cigarettes are wasteful and costly to smokers. They also pose a risk to the environment, especially when not extinguished.
Furthermore, many smokers have a desire to quit smoking for obvious health reasons and the large amount of publicity regarding the hazards of smoking. A number of techniques have been used with mixed success, including use of nicotine-impregnated patches, chewing gums, substitutions for tobacco and hypnotism, amongst others.
Often smokers feel as though they need to have something in their hand and mouth to replace the cigarette that they no longer are smoking. Other smokers notice increasing weight gains because of a substitution of smoking by consuming more food. For various reasons, the desire to smoke becomes so powerful that many smokers revert to smoking again.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need to provide cigarettes that can be used for short smoking sessions such as during “breaks”, that are limited in how long they stay lighted after being discarded, and such cigarettes should help to lessen the desire to smoke.